What’s the difference between a detachable laptop and a 2-in-1?

Technically, a detachable laptop is a type of 2-in-1 laptop. A 2-in-1 laptop is any laptop that you can also convert into a tablet. Get that pesky keyboard out of your way so you can easily hold the laptop while you’re standing or moving. But how do you use the laptop without a keyboard? 2-in-1 laptops have touch screens so you can operate them just like a tablet.

Most 2-in-1 laptops have a keyboard that’s on a 360-degree hinge so you can fold it back behind your display. But there are some 2-in-1 laptops with a removable screen - or a removable keyboard, however you choose to see it. These detachable laptops let you quickly snap the keyboard and display together or snap them apart. You’ll be able to store the keyboard in your laptop case when you’re not using it.

What are the benefits of a detachable laptop?

There are lots of benefits to having a detachable laptop. First and foremost, a detachable laptop is great for fieldwork. If you’re a contractor, for instance, you’ll be able to bring your detachable 2-in-1 to job sites with you. Fieldwork often requires that you use your electronics while you’re standing or walking, and that’s hard to do carrying a traditional clamshell laptop whose keyboard keeps smacking against your torso. With a detachable laptop, you can just remove the keyboard and use the touch screen display to type.

You may also enjoy having a detachable laptop if you’re a creative professional. Let’s say that you’re a digital illustrator and you want to make sketches of something outdoors (perhaps you’re crafting a beautiful landscape piece). You’ll be able to take your 2-in-1 laptop out into the field and use the touch screen with a digital pen to make precise sketches, and since you can remove the keyboard you’ll have an easier time positioning your display.

What are the benefits of a 2-in-1 laptop?

2-in-1 laptops (that are not detachable) come with their own unique benefits. The main drawback to a detachable laptop is that you might never know when you need to use your keyboard again. Perhaps you’re taking notes at a worksite and you’ve detached the keyboard and stored it in your laptop bag. Suddenly, you realize that you need your keyboard because you need to do a lot of fast typing.

Unfortunately, you left the keyboard in your bag and it’s at the other end of the worksite, so you won’t be able to go get it. The nice thing about a standard 2-in-1 laptop is that you’ll always have the keyboard available when you need to use it, even if it might weigh down your display just a little bit.

But the main advantage of having a 2-in-1 laptop that has no detachable screen is that standard 2-in-1s typically have more processing power than a 2-in-1 laptop with a removable screen. Detachable laptops have processors that are more akin to tablets. They’re still powerful and they’re great for notetaking, but a standard 2-in-1 is better for running computer programs that require a little more juice.

What’s the best 2-in-1 laptop for business?

We have a variety of 2-in-1 laptops that are perfect for business-minded users. Use the Business filter to browse 2-in-1 laptops that are specifically designed for work.

Our HP ENVY x360 2-in-1 laptops are equipped with powerful Intel® Core™ processors, large hard drives, and a completely foldable touch screen display. Some models even have dedicated graphics cards, making them great for running creative software. You may be able to find models that come included with an HP Pen.

Look for 2-in-1 laptops that you can Customize & Buy. These customizable laptops allow you to choose your preferred hardware components, including processors and graphics cards. Some models let you choose how much RAM and storage you want, and you may even be able to choose between having an HDD or SSD drive. What’s great about our customizable laptops is that you’re able to build a PC that’s perfectly equipped to tackle all of the programs that you run, and you can also tailor your PC to your budget.

What’s the best 2-in-1 laptop for creatives?

Creative professionals are those of you who do 4K digital video editing, photo editing, 3D animation, and audio production. You may have to run your creative program when you’re away from your workspace. For instance, you might have to edit some dailies on set, or make sketches of outdoor subjects, or polish your work items for an imminent deadline.

If you’re going to be doing your creative work in the field, you might love our HP Spectre x360 laptops. These are non-detachable 2-in-1 laptops that are equipped with only the toughest processors so you run your creative programs at top performance. Some of our HP Spectre x360 models have 10th Generation Intel Core processors, dedicated graphics cards, 16GB RAM, and 1TB storage. If you’re a digital illustrator, you’ll enjoy being able to fold back the display and use an HP Pen to “draw” on the screen.

Also, look out for our HP Spectre Folio laptop. This is an HP Spectre 2-in-1 that’s crafted from real leather. It looks beautiful and it has a perfect business aesthetic for those who work in an office.

What are the best 2-in-1 laptop accessories?

An HP laptop case might be the most important laptop accessory for your 2-in-1 detachable laptop. A laptop case will protect your 2-in-1 from accidental drops, shocks, and vibrations that could damage the hardware. It’ll also protect your laptop from dust, rain, moisture, and snow. Our laptop cases come in a variety of styles, from briefcase styles to backpacks.

You may also want to get an HP power bank if you frequently do work away from your desk. A power bank is a portable battery supply that you can use to recharge your laptop in case you don’t have your laptop charger available or if you don’t have access to an outlet. Some of our power banks don’t require any outlets to use - just charge them before you head out into the field.

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